Skaters windfall of £38,000

THE future's bright for Manchester skateboarders after securing a cash windfall. Pump Cage, the urban skate park under the Mancunian Way, has scooped £38,000 which will pay for floodlights - and heating. The cash from the youth capital fund means the popular city centre park will be able to extend its opening hours as users get to grips with its ramps and kickers at night.

THE future's bright for Manchester skateboarders after securing a cash windfall.

Pump Cage, the urban skate park under the Mancunian Way, has scooped £38,000 which will pay for floodlights - and heating.

The cash from the youth capital fund and the city council means the popular city centre park will be able to extend its opening hours as users get to grips with its ramps and kickers at night.

Manager John Haines said it was 'a dream come true' and added: "It means so much to us and a lot of skaters are really happy.

"At the moment, we are opening at 3pm, but then closing at 4.30.

"After that, there really is nothing for the kids to do - but not for long. It will all change after this month when we get the lights in."

Confident

John, who has been at the park for three years, said of the windfall: "There are lots of things we can do. We can look at putting classes on at night for people from nearby communities and we can also put beginner's sessions on for those who don't feel as confident.

"Lots of people want to get into skating, but they are too intimidated because there are a lot of experts here. But we are already looking at having evening classes for beginners.

"We also know a lot of girls are interested in coming down, but they don't because it's always mainly boys - so we might look at putting on classes for them."

He added: "When we close now, a lot of our users go and skate in the city centre. It's not going to eliminate people skating in the streets, but it will reduce it."

The lights are due early next year and for John, the date can't come quick enough.

"It's not just the lights, this means we will have an electricity supply," he said. "We have no hot drinks and staff sit in a steel container, so now we can get heaters and kettles in. It also means we can look at putting music on, getting a computer and taking card bookings."